Tag: school

Categories
Opinion/Commentary

Should parents be fined if their children are bullies?

Image: Canva

There’s a new push to combat bullying. With a twist.

According to sheknows, police in Shawano, Wisconsin, started fining parents of bullies back in 2016.

In June this year, the ABC reported that Malaysia introduced a law where parents of bullies could be fined or sued.

A tribunal of fifty experts were set up to deal with each case individually. Peopke both welcomed and raised concerns about tbe bill. Member of Parent Action for Education, Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said:

We welcome the Act because it places children’s well-being at the centre and recognises that bullying has serious emotional, psychological and educational consequences.

(“New anti- bullying reform in Malaysia could make parents liable for their children’s behaviour’, AFP, 19 June 2026)

Should parents be fined? Mother of victim speaks out

Image: Canva

CW: This part of the post memtions suicide. Please proceed with caution if it affects you.

In July, a mother opened up to news,com.au about losing her 13 – year – old son.

Clare McCann lost her son, Atreyu to suicide. He’d been a victim of relentless bullying. Her son’s death pushed McCann to campaign against bullying.

Despite her grief, and in the wake of Malaysia’s Anti – Bullying Act 2026, McCann is wary about penalising families. She pointed out that many bullies are themselves, traumatised. If intervention is done incorrectly, McCann worries it may harm the children even more.

That is why I worry that charging their [the bully’s parents], without proper child – safety intervention, could place some of those children at even greater risk behind closed doors.

(“Mother of bullied teen says punishing parents won’t stop suicides”, Cydonee Mardon, news.com.au, 20 July 2026).

McCann applauded Malaysia for having such a swift nationwide approach to dealing with bullying. Unfortunately, Australia, who’s wealthier, is not going to do the same. If anything happens, it’d occur State by State/ Territory.

In July, McCann started a petition to call the Government to put an end to school bullying.

What is the answer

Bullying is a massive problem for young people. It has been for years. The presence of social media has made bullying even harder for children to escape.

Can anything be done?

Education resources website Twinkl has these tips:

  • Schools should adopt a way to report bullying that makes children feel safe and confident when opening up about bullying. A way to do this is allow a sstem where students can report incidents anonymously
  • Teachers could get students to act out roleplays of realistic situations to foster empathy
  • Create a ‘Kindness Week’ where students are encouraged to do acts of kindness, such as writing someone a compliment and creating inclusive games at recess.
  • Organise a peer mediation session where students are selected to step in to prevent conflicts from escalating.
  • Teach students responsible online behaviour. Students should learn how to respond appropriately to harmful messages
  • Conduct a ‘Restorative Justice Circle’. Bring the person affected by harmful behaviour and the instigator. The students, along with a trained mediator should discuss the behaviour, its impact and create steps to repair the relationship. Follow up to see if the students have done the agreed steps
  • Other suggestions include:
    • designate a bench to become a “vuddy bench”. Here, students can sit and seek friendship and support
    • Create a ‘Gratitude Wall’ where students can post positive notes ablut classmates
    • Create a class charter where students make an agreement on class values. Get all students to sign.

Society has a way to go in combatting bullying. Frankly, I can see where the call for a punitive justice comes from. But I’m also realising that to truly combat bullying, the perpetrator needs just as much help as the victim. However, I still think that schools should be held legally accountable, at least. Bullying should never be tolerated.

What do you think could resolve school bullying? Feel free to put your thoughts in the comments below.

Categories
Opinion/Commentary

Parents face struggles when children start the school year

Back of mother and her four children side by side holding hands
School has started. Unfortunately, so has stress. Image: Canva

It’s the start of a new school year for millions of children. Many children have started school; entering Kindergarten or Prep (depending on the Australian State you’re in).

 

Jodi Wilson wrote on the ABC website about the “hardest year of motherhood”. It was Wilson’s youngest child’s first day at school. She didn’t expect the transition to have such an emotional impact.

I held it all together for him [hercyoungest son] — ushered him through tired afternoons and big emotions — but it took me months to accept that I needed a similar kind of care, too.

(‘The transition to school was harder on me than my kids’, ABC, Jodi Wilson 29 January 2025)

Perfectionism and the pressures parents face

Adult wearing a white t - shirt with the word ‘VOLUNTEER’ in big black letters
Parents feel pressure to volunteer at their school’s events. Image: Canva

Parents stress about what schools expect from them. Wilson pointed out the pressure parents face to volunteer at their child’s/ children’s school.

Then there’s responsibilities that children and parents face throughout the year. Signing permission notes, returning library books, etc. Of course, perfection doesn’t exist. Things happen: children lose library books, etc. Children waste time and are late to school. Heck, parents often struggle to get their children out of bed!

Another pressure Wilson brings up is volunteering. Often, parents are encouraged to volunteer for numerous school roles: canteen, reading, sports carnivals, fundraisers, you name it. But so many parents are so busy, they probably don’t have time to volunteer in every event.

Of course, there are always events that parents want to attend to support their children. I think it’s important for parents and friends outside the school to support students in their events (carnivals, Drama performances, etc). Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible.

Parents need to be supported by schools as much as parents should support teachers. Everyone needs to be able to lighten their load and not feel obligated for every little thing!

 

Tips for parents of school – aged children

Luckily, there is help and tips for parents. According to Parents Victoria:

  • Parents should have a mutual agreement with the school on communication method/s
  • Parents should inform the school of their child/ren’s needs, and be realistic in their rxpectations
  • Have agreed pick up/ drop off points
  • Parents should inform teachers if their child/ren has mental health concerns (i.e if the children are prone to anxiety)
  • Parents should familarise themselves with the school layout and transport pick – up/ dropp off points.
  • It’s important that parents get to know and build a respectful relationships with their children’s teachers and Head Teachers
  • If a child is starting a new school, parents should brainstorm with conversation starters with their child to give them more confidence.
  • If parents are unable to get the school items they need, there is no shame in asking for help

By the time this post is published, students have already started school for 2025. I wish all students and parents the the best. May you be able to be relax a little and enjoy the school year.

Categories
Opinion/Commentary

Education Union calls for NAPLAN to be scrapped

School students taking test in hall
Image: iStock

 

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is  under fire.

Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe has called for the program to be abolished:

NAPLAN has been plagued by a lack of credibility with teachers and parents for years. It is time for the Federal Government to scrap NAPLAN for good and replace it with a new sample – based assessment strategy that has students and teachers at its heart.

The purpose of NAPLAN

Across Australia, students sit for NAPLAN tests in Years Three, Five, Seven and Nine.

student writing
Image: iStock

The tests focus on a range of skills such as comprehension, spelling and grammar, creative writing and mathematics skills.

NAPLAN was around when I was at school. I remember taking it in Years Three, Five, Seven and Nine.

Teachers used NAPLAN results to assess students’ abilities. They could also see the areas students needed help.

From helping tool to competition

The invention of the MySchool website in 2010, made NAPLAN contentious.

Rather than teachers focusing on improvements and struggles of students, school reputation was the focus.

In 2016, a Sydney public school came under fire when a student was asked to stay home in fear that the student would drag the school average down.

The parent of the child received a letter from the school about the request. The excuse given was to avoid “stress” for the student.

The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) warns teachers not to exclude students.

Other recommendations from ACARA

On their website, ACARA endorses NAPLAN. Its recommendations for teachers and parents include:

  • Tell the students to do the best they can that day
  • Avoid cramming and coaching leading to the tests
  • Parents should ask teachers questions

ACARA and the media

The media have right to publish results by ACARA under Freedom of Information and Copyright Act 1968.

Any journalists who wish to report on results are responsible for gaining copyright clearances.

NAPLAN could have merit

I’m not an educator, teacher or education researcher. I took the NAPLAN tests in Years Three, Five, Seven and Nine.

When I sat for NAPLAN, I was average. One of my biggest weaknesses was comprehension and creative writing was my strength. I think that’s an accurate presentation of me, especially throughout school.

My primary school and high school didn’t worry or emphasise on results. It wasn’t a competition. The aim was to see where students’ strengths were and where they needed help.

I’m not sure whether NAPLAN itself is a terrible tool. But I think it’s original purpose is lost.

I think the MySchool website should be abolished. That’s when issues seemed to start.

NAPLAN’s focus should be on helping children in English and Mathematics. Any areas students struggle in should ne addressed.

NAPLAN shouldn’t be about the egos of schools. Unfortunately, I think what NAPLAN’s become.

Bring back NAPLAN’s original intent. Then maybe it could benefit ALL teachers and students.

 

What are your views on NAPLAN? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.